Home
by NERC
Summary: Even when there is no war there is not always peace.


The storm hadn't passed yet. Not by a long shot. Harry highly suspected it never would. There would always be another fight. Another problem. Another Dark Lord. He looked at his reflection in the mirror in front of him. He sighed as his eyes passed over the newly formed scar on his left cheek. A tentative knock on his bedroom door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Come in." He said tiredly.

James walked into the room only to stop when he saw how worn out his dad looked.

"I can come back later." He said.

"No, its fine." Harry insisted. "Come in."

The younger Potter came farther into the room and sat down on his parents' bed. He stayed silent for a moment.

"James?" His dad asked

James shook his head to clear it. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"I just….its…I-" He took a deep breath. "Are you always going to have to go when there is an attack?"

Harry looked up from his night stand in shock. He walked over and sat beside his son.

"Probably, it is my job."

"But you could get hurt!"

"James, I've dealt with a lot worse than a few poorly organized attacks."

James smiled lightly, but his father's words did nothing to calm him. Harry wrapped his arm over his eldest son's shoulders.

"Really James, I'll be alright. I'm never on my own. Your Uncle Ron is always right beside me. We watch out for each other."

James was trembling.

"I know. I know. But- Its just- what would I do if you got hurt? If you died?" He whispered the last part but Harry still heard his question.

"James, look at me."

The sixteen year old looked back up at his father.

"You don't have to worry."

"I do! What would I do if I lost you?"

The auror looked at his son.

"You'd live." He said simply

"Mum?" Hermione Weasley looked up from her book to see her daughter and niece.

"Rose, Lily." She said putting her book down. "What can I do for you?"

"When are Dad and Uncle Harry going to be back?" asked this youngest Weasley in the room.

Hermione sighed, "I'm sure they will be back as soon as they can be. But when that is, I don't know."

The two young red heads sat on the floor.

"Why did you two come in here?" The Muggleborn asked, "I thought you were all playing in the other room."

"We were Aunt Hermione, but Jamie won't stop pacing around the room. It was getting really annoying."

The former Gryffindor smiled slightly. "Don't be too harsh on your brother Lily, he is only worried."

The youngest Potter frowned. "I thought they were going to be okay?"

"They are." Her aunt assured her. "But that doesn't stop your brother from worrying"

Lily started to frown again just as the floo went off in the other room.

"See, that must be them now."

The two young girls jumped up and raced into the other room.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yes Al?"

"Can you help me with this?"

Harry Potter slowly made his way over to his 15 year old son.

"What has you stuck?"

"This essay for defense, I still need another three inches."

Harry smiled at his son.

"Well lets see what we can do."

They had been working on the soon-to-be fifth year's essay for not even ten minutes when a patronus came through the wall.

"Auror Potter, Diagon Ally."

Harry jumped up from his seat.

"Sorry Al, you'll have to get your mum to help you with the rest."

Harry was out of the house wards within two minutes of receiving the message.

Albus gathered his parchment before slowly going back up to his room He tried to add length by expanding on the points his father had given him but he couldn't concentrate. After his fifth attempt to write a sentence, he gave up and wandered back down stairs, where his mum was making hot cocoa in the kitchen.

"Al, have you seen your dad?" Asked the former Weasley.

"He got called out a while ago." He said sitting down beside his older brother at the table. Minute later all of the Potter boys still in the house had a steaming mug in front of them.

James stared at his cup. Was this what his mum went through in the last war?

Albus watched the steam dissolve above in hot drink. The constant worry would drive him insane.

James let the hot chocolate warm his hands through the old glass. His dad was out there, he was fighting.

Albus caught his brother's fidgeting out of the corner of his eye. Even James was worried, and that made him even more nervous.

Lily didn't really know what to think.

The young witch stood at the door while her brothers internally went over every reason there was to be worried.

"Lily." Her mother's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

She looked up at her mother and noticed there was a mug in her outstretched hand. She carefully took it and leaned against the door frame.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

Her mother nodded before going back to tidying the kitchen.

Ginny was worried. She knew Harry could take care of himself. She also knew it only took one lucky shot to bring even the best aurors down. She was worried he would come home hurt. She was worried he would not come home alive. She was worried he might not come home at all. She knew sometimes bodies weren't found. And above all that was what terrified her. Of never seeing him again.

There was a loud pop outside all four ran outside and sighed with relief when they saw him.

James smiled. Yes his dad had been fighting, but he won.

Albus relaxed almost immediately. He could stop worrying now.

Lily wrapped her arms around her father.

Ginny just leaned against the side of the house and smiled at her husband over their youngest child's head.

He was home. Battered, brusied and exshausted. But at least he was home.


End file.
